Definitions

adversity

[ad-vur-si-tee] / ædˈvɜr sɪ ti /

NOUN

bad luck, situation

Synonyms

STRONGEST

calamity catastrophe crunch difficulty disaster hard times hardship misery misfortune mishap sorrow suffering trouble

STRONG

affliction bummer clutch contretemps distress downer drag hurting jam jinx poison reverse trial

WEAK

bad break bad thing can of worms evil eye hard knocks ill fortune kiss of death on the skids pain in the neck the worst tough luck

Antonyms

STRONGEST

advantage assistance benefit blessing boon contentment ease favor good fortune good luck happiness joy miracle peace pleasure profit success wonder

STRONG

comfort health

WEAK

aid encouragement fortune help prosperity

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"In the tough times, the adversity, you get to see who stands up in terms of leaders," Sanderson said.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

"While this journey will undoubtedly be challenging, I've always believed in finding meaning through adversity," she said.

From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026

Themes may emerge: how you beat back adversity, sacrificed for others or discovered new ways to love.

From MarketWatch • May 19, 2026

“I was all over the internet,” Johnson said while discussing some of the adversity she’s faced in her basketball career on a recent episode of the “I Am Next” podcast.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

How resilient is he in the face of adversity?

From "Blink" by Malcolm Gladwell

Vocabulary lists containing adversity

100 SAT Words Beginning with "A"

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100 Top "SAT" Words

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"The Odyssey" by Homer, Books 19–24

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